Don – For some reason I don’t remember the Capitol Theater. When growing up most of my movie going was to one of the three theaters in East Point. When I did go to one in downtown Atlanta, it was usually to the Paramount, the Loew’s Grand, or the Fox. Those were my three favorites.I can remember seeing Gone With the Wind sometime during the mid ‘40s at either the Loew’s or Paramount.
The Fairfax was actually located on Main Street just north of Thompson Avenue, not at the intersection of Fairfax Avenue. I don’t know the address of the Fairfax, but 211 S. Main Street sounds correct. I lived on the 300 block of S. Semmes Street in the 1940s (which ran parallel to Main Street)and our house was just south of Thompson Ave. Incidentally, there is a photo of the Fairfax on the Vanishing Georgia Website for East Point, Georgia. The photo number is FUL-1025-86. The old U.S. Post Office is on the far left of the photo between the two trees. The intersection of Thompson Ave. is just to the north of the Post Office. You have to look close, but the marquee of the Fairfax can be seen about 50 to 75 feet north of the intersection. Too bad the resolution of the photo isn’t a little better.
The Russell was always on Jefferson Avenue. The only thing that makes sense is that when the East Point Theater on Church Street closed the Russell Theater became the East Point Theater. I wasn’t living in East Point in the 1960s so I don’t know this for sure but I’ll bet that’s the case.
I grew up in East Point in the 1940s and ‘50s, and at that time there were 3 theaters; the Russell on Jefferson Ave across from Russell High, the East Point on Church Street near the intersection with Main Street, and the Fairfax on Main Street near the Post Office. The Fairfax was the only theater that admitted blacks. They used a separate ticket office on the side of the building and then used a set of outside stairs to gain access to the balcony.
Don – For some reason I don’t remember the Capitol Theater. When growing up most of my movie going was to one of the three theaters in East Point. When I did go to one in downtown Atlanta, it was usually to the Paramount, the Loew’s Grand, or the Fox. Those were my three favorites.I can remember seeing Gone With the Wind sometime during the mid ‘40s at either the Loew’s or Paramount.
The Fairfax was actually located on Main Street just north of Thompson Avenue, not at the intersection of Fairfax Avenue. I don’t know the address of the Fairfax, but 211 S. Main Street sounds correct. I lived on the 300 block of S. Semmes Street in the 1940s (which ran parallel to Main Street)and our house was just south of Thompson Ave. Incidentally, there is a photo of the Fairfax on the Vanishing Georgia Website for East Point, Georgia. The photo number is FUL-1025-86. The old U.S. Post Office is on the far left of the photo between the two trees. The intersection of Thompson Ave. is just to the north of the Post Office. You have to look close, but the marquee of the Fairfax can be seen about 50 to 75 feet north of the intersection. Too bad the resolution of the photo isn’t a little better.
The Russell was always on Jefferson Avenue. The only thing that makes sense is that when the East Point Theater on Church Street closed the Russell Theater became the East Point Theater. I wasn’t living in East Point in the 1960s so I don’t know this for sure but I’ll bet that’s the case.
I grew up in East Point in the 1940s and ‘50s, and at that time there were 3 theaters; the Russell on Jefferson Ave across from Russell High, the East Point on Church Street near the intersection with Main Street, and the Fairfax on Main Street near the Post Office. The Fairfax was the only theater that admitted blacks. They used a separate ticket office on the side of the building and then used a set of outside stairs to gain access to the balcony.